Invasive North American beavers in Southern Patagonia, Ecology, History and Folklore

Derek Corcoran derek.corcoran.barrios@gmail.com
2016-09-28

Tierra del Fuego

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Tierra del Fuego

Very uniform and cool weather
Average high warm month 59 F
Average low coldest month 30 F
18,572 sq mi

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Wind the prevailing force

isotherms

Wind the prevailing force

bended tree

Tierra del Fuego

isotherms

Tierra del Fuego

Steppe

Tierra del Fuego

Forest

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Pinguinos

North American beaver (Castor canadensis)

Invasive species in Asia, Europe and South America
Ecosystem engineer
Reproduces once a year
Monogamus, territorial and parental care of 3 years

Beaver

History of beavers in Tierra del Fuego

20 beavers were released in argentina Fagnano Lake (1946)
Since then they have colonized the continent and archipielago
More than 150,000 beavers in Patagonia
Human population in the region is 164,661

Beavers

Effects of beavers in the environment

Effects of beavers in the environment

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Effects of beavers in the environment

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Fitness patterns

Fitness patterns

Time consuming
Hard to replicate
Almost impossible in rare species
Need to be able to detect the species
Species might be there but not detected
false absences might bias estimates

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Fitness patterns

Time consuming
Hard to replicate
Almost impossible in rare species
Need to be able to detect the species
Species might be there but not detected
false absences might bias estimates

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Fitness patterns

Time consuming
Hard to replicate
Almost impossible in rare species
Need to be able to detect the species
Species might be there but not detected
false absences might bias estimates

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Beaver Folklore

Detection is usually not perfect
Depends on:
- Species
- Season
- Observer
- Method
- Weather

zombeavers